Bristol’s green credential are widely applauded – yet true sustainability for the region is a long way off. Christian Annesley reports on a work in progress.
At first glance Bristol looks to be riding the crest of a green wave. In November it was named the UK’s most sustainable city by Forum for the Future and shortlisted alongside seven other European cities for European Green Capital recognition.
But are cities such as Bristol and Plymouth – third on Forum for the Future’s rankings – really leading a green revolution? And does that find reflection in the activities of the cities’ and the wider region’s businesses?
Bristol’s ranking reflects the city council’s recycling and composting rates, as well as high scores on water quality, waste collection and green spaces. But the city is championing green in other ways, too.
The Bristol Partnership’s public–private coalition has established Green Capital, an initiative to encourage organisations in Bristol to take action to help make it a leading low-carbon city. The vision is being driven by a business-led collective, the Momentum Group, which includes sustainability figureheads such as the publisher Alistair Sawday and Dan Green of Wessex Water.
Catherine Bailhache, Green Capital’s co-ordinator at Bristol City Council, says having the Momentum Group is crucial, since focused and visible leadership is necessary to give direction to a movement where our collective understanding is changing so fast.
“Momentum also sits close to the city council’s decision-making powers, which means its voice is well-heard in local government and further afield,” says Bailhache. “And it is starting to tackle emerging issues such as the establishment of a peak-oil taskforce.”
The activities of the Momentum group are watched closely by Bristol Partnership’s chair John Savage. He says the accolades Bristol has received are recognition for the work done, but admits there is a long way to go. “Some good ideas need to be nurtured,” he says. “But we are blessed with a business community where the need for a more sustainable future is widely recognised. What we need to do next is identify the strongest ideas doing the rounds and get people to work together more.”
Savage says the simple steps businesses can take are worth emphasising in a world where for many “there is too much information” circulating. “Using energy- efficient lighting, scrutinising staff travel, promoting cycling. If every business at least took it that far it would be a step forward,” he says.
Bristol is also home to the Bristol Environmental Technologies and Services (BETS) project, a council-led drive that has a remit to put businesses in touch with local sustainability expertise. And it is home to revolutionary thinker John Pontin with his Under the Sky movement and The Converging World, a charity using money raised here for renewable energy projects in developing countries that should generate profits to fund more projects.
It all adds lustre to the city’s reputation for focusing on green enterprise, yet you get the sense from those involved that delivering real change needs to start happening, not just being talked about.
Claire Gibson, director of sustainable resources at the South West RDA, says: “Locally, and regionally, there is strong leadership pushing the sustainability agenda. But there is also an understanding that this is a long journey we are embarking on. We are committed to that, and the local initiatives show that.
“However, there are immediate things that need to happen, and for businesses interested in how sustainable practices could save them money, Business Link is important. It should be used by companies as a gateway to advice. It’s an example of how the public sector is helping business by simplifying the initiatives they may encounter.”
In Bristol one local initiative that may soon bear fruit comes from Forum for the Future. Susan Warren, the charity’s director of sustainable cities, says getting the private and public sector working together holds the key, and the charity is close to launching a programme working with local construction companies to retrofit and refurbish private housing stock.
“The focus for sustainability in the built environment is mostly around new-builds, but if the government target of cutting emissions by 80 per cent by 2050 is to be met, domestic housing needs to be more energy efficient, since homes account for more than a quarter of the UK’s carbon usage,” she says.
And in Totnes there is another real-world example of action on sustainability at a grassroots level.
The town is three years into a project called Transition Town Totnes, which has two key aims. The first is to explore practical actions to cut emissions and oil dependency among businesses and residents. The second is to make the town more self-reliant in terms of food, energy, employment and economics.
Fiona Ward has been involved in consulting businesses for the past 18 months, with a focus on offering advice and introducing businesses to the benefits of an oil vulnerability audit.
“We would like to offer all local businesses a full oil dependency audit, but haven’t got the resources, so most have received basic but detailed information on how to become more sustainable. Four companies have had a full audit.
One is Totnes Kayaks, selling kayaks and accessories on a local trading estate. Owner Tom Morris says the audit has changed how he runs his business. “I took a pragmatic view that becoming more resource-efficient made commercial sense – and that’s how the idea has to be sold,” he says. “But it has made a big difference. The audit covered the basics, such as light and heating, and those were quick wins. But it’s introduced me to sourcing locally. Some suppliers I now have are local where they were overseas, and with sterling weak that has saved me money.
Perhaps the lesson from Totnes is that real change is possible, but it won’t only come from the top. Ken Aylmer, managing director of eco-builders Footprint Building in Bristol, sums it up best.“Everyone waits for the government to act, but people have to take action themselves. You can moan about how slow-moving government is or do something about it. We have chosen to get on with in on our own terms by engaging with an eco-market that is already well-established.”
Also in: February 2009
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